Tulsa Press Club honors "laid-back" QuikTrip CEO as 2013 Headliner

TULSA, Okla. -- The Tulsa Press Club honored Chester "Chet" Cadieux III, chairman, president and CEO of Tulsa, Okla.-based QuikTrip Corp., as its 2013 Headliner on Oct. 3. In keeping with Cadieux's laid-back attitude, this annual fundraiser dictated no coats and no ties in the invitation, which most folks happily obliged, said a report by The Tulsa World.

"QuikTrip gives back, and it gives back with a bang," Tulsa Press Club co-chair Steve Turnbo said before introducing Cadieux, whom he called a "great leader, great human being."

"It's our duty to give back to the community that has so genuinely given back to us," said Cadieux. As the 2012 Tulsa Area United Way campaign chairman, he led the group's largest campaign, which raised a record-shattering $25,575,522.

Mike Thornbrugh, QuikTrip's manager of public and government affairs, led a Q&A with Cadieux. He asked, what lies ahead for the chain.

Since 1956, the Tulsa Press Club has honored headliners–a group of outstanding civic, business, professional and industrial leaders whose unselfish contribution to the growth, welfare and culture of Tulsa have made them headliners in every sense of the word.

In addition to his role with QuikTrip, Cadieux is a valuable community advocate. As the 2012 Tulsa Area United Way campaign chairman, Cadieux led the group's largest-ever campaign, which raised a record-shattering $25,575,522.

Cadieux served as chairman of the Tulsa River Parks Authority Board in 2010 and as chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce in 2007. Cadieux also serves on the following boards: Bank of Oklahoma, N.A., Tulsa; Bank of Oklahoma Financial; Tulsa Community Foundation; Tulsa's Future Oversight Committee; The University of Tulsa; and The Committee of One Hundred, Tulsa. Cadieux is a past board member of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), and Tulsa Area United Way.

Cadieux graduated with a bachelor's degree in business from The University of Tulsa in 1989. He began his full-time career with QuikTrip on the graveyard shift just after graduating. He celebrated his 20th anniversary with QuikTrip in August 2009. He is married and has two children. In his free time he enjoys auto racing, snow skiing and aviation.